The silver ghost ? Aptly named.
Last season i put in some amount of time trying to get myself one. It was a steep learning curve. At times, I even wondered if they actually exist.
When the calendar clicked around to the colder months of 2019, i decided to resume where I had dropped off last year.
While most of last season was concentrating on lure fishing(landbased), i decided that I would switch things up and live bait to break my cherry.
Ever since i moved to Melbourne, ive heard whispers of silver fins in the Metro Rivers. Mythical sizes. Shredded leaders on barnacle encrusted pylons.
I upped the ante a bit , gear wise, re purposed my esky into a live well.
The mullet weren't easy to come by and i picked a place that I knew I had a chance to run into both prey and predator.
I had a quick look on google maps, figured out a likely haunt. Structure, tidal movements and proximity to bends in the river were what i focused on.
Some happy and not so happy mullet were swimming in my esky and they weren't very big baits either. Just about 4-5 inches at the most.
I switched out my 7/0 Circle hook and 60lb leader approach to a more conservative 4/0 & 20lb rig on one rod. And in she went.
The clock ticked away and I had the magic of uber eats bring me a kebab.
They did get my lactose intolerant mate fishing with me, cheese on his HSP. i was accused of intentional sabotage. :rofl:
We flicked some lures to pass the time, it got darker. Urban nocturnal denizens , the rats and the drunks began their revelry.
My mullet began to get a little nervous. Much like my dog in the vet's parking lot.He's never been the same since that de-sexing and hates the joint. Cant really blame him.
Did i just imagine it? was my line actually moving ? Ive fished with livebaits and circles enough to know not to strike, i picked up the rod and just fed out some more slack. 30 seconds in, i felt some weight. Wound in and she was on!
Maz keeps telling me that i was robbed off a good fight, but given that, I did have a fair bit of hurt on this fish.
Some lunges, a short couple of runs and numerous head shakes and up popped a long lean silver slab.
![wowzers :o_0:](./images/smilies/big_scare.gif)
My mate quickly had it in the back of my newly acquired enivronet and couldnt ask for a better christening.
The circle neatly pinned in the corner, popped off easily.
Some quick photographs and a length measure. 66cms! A legal fish! :banana:
The fish grunted and wanted to be back where he came from.
Revived , he kicked off strong.
I was left, standing on the bank with a wet landing net , the only sign of the events that had unfolded.
Some ghosts are real. Time to get one on a lure now.